Monorail amusement apparatus



April 22 1924.

H. JOHNSON MONORAIL AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR.

Hfi/JJGH/V JOHNSON. BY Jun/1m ATTORNEY 14TH 2 2? T524.

H. JOHNSON MQNORAI L AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18.

1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. h/ILL/GAN do/mso/v.

ATTORNEY Patented 2.2, 192 .1.

Ltiih238 HALLIG-AN J'OHIllS'ON, VENICE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0'18 ONE-HALF TO GEORGE B. MONROE, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

lllGNOR-AIL AMUSEIEENT APPARATUS.

Application filed October 18, 1922. Serial No. 595,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALLIGAN JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Venice, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Monorail Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

My inventionrelates to an amusement apparatus in the form of a curved monorail and a carriage train therefor, and the objects of my invention are; first, to provide an apparatus of this class in which a plurality of carriages are connected together in such a way that they have free, lateral and vertical movement and are supported and adapted to ride upon a laterally and horizontally curved rail; second, to provide an amusement apparatus in which a train of carriages are connected together and are adapted to operate in worm like form; third, to provide an apparatus of this class with novel means for connecting the separate carriage sections so that they are permitted free, lateral, vertical and horizontal movements relatively to each other;

fourth, to provide a novel monorail and carriage train amusement apparatus; fifth, to provide an apparatus of this class with novel means for supporting the carriages relatively to the rail, and sixth to provide an apparatus of this class which is simple and economical of construction, durable, ef-

ficient and which will not readily deterio rate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my ap paratus in the form of a dragon; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the middle thereof of a fragmentary portion of said apparatus shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the means for connecting the separate carriages of the train on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view thereof at a right angle thereto; Fig. 5 is a plan view 1 of a fragmentary portion of my train apparatus showing it positioned on the rail; Fig.6 is a transverse sectional view through 66 of Fig. 5 shown on an enlarged scale and Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view through 7 7 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The rail member 1, rail support 2, diago nal supports 3, uprights 4c and 5, cross beams 6, braces 7, carriage bodies 8, main carriage wheels 9, side thrust carriage wheels 10, side thrust carriage wheel springs 11, coupling members 12 and 13, clevises 14 and 1.5, spring 16, engines 17 and 18, gears 19 and pinions 20, constitute the principal parts and portions of my monorail amusement apparatus.

The rail 1 is shaped in cross section as shown best in Fig. 6 of the drawings in T form and provided with a plurality of lateral and horizontal curves as shown best in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. It is supported by means of a longitudinal support 2 which is supported by a plurality of diagonal brace supports 3 set on an angle as shown best in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the lower ends of which are connected by means of cross beams 6. These supports consisting of the members 2, 3 and 6 are supported upon uprights i and 5 which are driven into the earth and which are cross braced by means of the braces 7.

This rail 1 is supported in position by means of metallic brace members 1 riveted to the rail 1 and riveted through the members 2 and Mounted on this rail 1 are a plurality of carriages 8 which are closely connected together as will be hereinafter described and each carriage is provided with two supporting wheels 9 which are revolubly mounted in a recess at each end of the carriages 8 and provided with grooves which engage the rounded upper surface of the rail 1 for supporting the carriage and taking the load. It will be noted that the sides of the carriage extend down past the upper edge of the rail 1 and there are provided a pair of rollers 10, one on each side, adapted to engage the rail below the flange for taking care of the lateral and upward thrusts of the carriage. It will be noted that there are provided springs 11, positioned between the sides of the carriage and said rollers for providing resilient action of side thrusts of the carriage relatively to the rollers 10. The ends of the carriages are provided with conforming curved ends permitting them to move relatively to each other in transverse and horizontal directions as well as horizontal movements relative to each other and they are connected together by means of the coupling members 12 and 13 which are swiveled in the front and rear walls of the adjacent carriages. To the member 12 is pivotally connected a clevis member 14: and to the member 13 is pivotally connected a clevis member 15, and between the extended portions of said clevis members is mounted a compression spring-16, thus providing yieldable means for supporting said carriages relatively to each other, thus permitting them to be drawn apart a slight distance. It will be noted that these carriages are provided with openings in the top to admit the passengers and that they are provided with seats 8 as shown best in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

In the front carriage are mounted engines 17 and 18 which are provided with bevel pinions 20 which mesh with bevel gears 19 on the wheels 9 of said front carriage as a means of propulsion for the train.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in theappended claims.

It is obvious that with this construction there is provided a monorail amusement apparatus in which the passenger carriages are connected together and in which the rail is provided with curves and twists so that when the carriage rides over the rail it will assume a worm like form and the separate carriages will shift from side to side and up and down; that some of the carriages will be on one side of the center of the rail while others will be on the other and will thus balance each other and thus at each end recessed in the bottom of the carriage; that the carriage coupling members consisting of the members 12, 13, 14c, 15 and 16 provide resilient means for connectin the adjacent carriages together which permit their free side movements relative to each other as well as up and down movements and lateral thrust, twist and sepa '2- tion to a certain extent; that the rollers 10 and springs 11 provide resilient means for permitting the lateral rocking of the carriages relatively to the rail.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, including a multi-curve monorail and a plurality of carriages each concave atone end and convex at the other, adapted to extend into the end of another carriage and resiliently connected together adapted to ride on said rail and forming a continuous, swerving, serpent-like form when moving.

2. An apparatus of the class described, including a multicurve monorail, a plurality of carriages each concave at one end and convex at the other, adapted to extend into the end of another carriage and resiliently connected together adapted to ride on said rail, and forming a continuous, swerving, serpent-like form when moving and resilient means mounted on said carriages adapted to engage the sides of said monorail for supporting said carriages laterally on said rail.

3. An apparatus of the class described, including a multicurved monorail, a carriage open at its top side for entrance and exit of passengers mounted on said monorail by means of wheels for supporting said carriage and rollers secured to said carriage engaging the sides of said monorail for supporting said carriage laterally on said monorail.

4. An apparatus of the class described, including a multicurved monorail, a plurality of carriages mounted to travel on said monorail, resilient means connecting said carriages together consisting of a plurality of clevis members pivotally and swivelly connected together and a spring interposed between (two of said clevis members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 12th day of October, 1922.

HALLIGAN OHNSON.

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